Freddie's ready for Flood's spot as Lancaster prepares to name EPS squad

Freddie Burns will be promoted to England’s senior squad next week and given a chance to push for Six Nations selection amid doubts about Toby Flood’s ability to handle Test rugby.

Gloucester fly-half Burns has been in great form for his club, leading to an international debut as a substitute in the historic demolition of the All Blacks at Twickenham on December 1.

Now, ahead of a weekend of Aviva Premiership matches which will serve as final auditions for England places, Sportsmail has learned that the 22-year-old is set for a call-up from Stuart Lancaster on Wednesday.

Aiming high: Freddie Burns on his debut against New Zealand

Burns’ inclusion will not be at the expense of either Flood or Owen Farrell and he is most likely to take the place of one of the midfield contingent.

Harlequins’ Jordan Turner-Hall, who has struggled with injury, is sure to be released, but there will be others.

Although Flood will be retained, subject to coming through Leicester’s game at Worcester tonight, the England coaches are concerned about their most experienced player. He has regularly been injured and started just five of the 12 Tests played under the new regime in the past year.

Lancaster and forwards coach Graham Rowntree are due at Sixways tonight, where they will see how Flood resumes his partnership with Ben Youngs.

The management value loyalty and ‘credit
in the bank’ so Farrell is set to start the Six Nations as first-choice
No 10, given his calm and ruthless display in the 38-21 victory over
New Zealand. Burns, having caught the eye with a second-half cameo that
day, will tussle with Flood for a spot in the match-day 23.

Under pressure: Flood has a fight on his hands to make the matchday 23

Another problem position for England has been wing, with Chris Ashton on the right flank, but no one able to make the left-wing spot their own. Ugo Monye and Charlie Sharples came and went in the autumn, with Mike Brown winding up there, as had another full back, Ben Foden, in South Africa in June.

With Alex Goode poised to continue as the last line of defence, those familiar contenders will again fight for the No 11 shirt, along with Wasps pair Christian Wade and Tom Varndell, and Gloucester’s Jonny May.

In the longer term, Bath’s cross-code rookie Kyle Eastmond has potential as a lethal finisher and will be given a place in the Saxons squad next week.

While there may be changes at fly-half,
England will surely stick with the scrum-half trio of Ben Youngs, Danny
Care and Lee Dickson.

Three and easy: Youngs, Care (pictured) and Dickson should all be selected

In midfield, Brad Barritt and Manu Tuilagi did more than enough against the All Blacks to be retained in the starting XV and with Jonathan Joseph as back-up and Farrell able to occupy either centre position, only one extra man is needed. A choice between Leicester’s Anthony Allen and Billy Twelvetrees of Gloucester is likely.

Up front, Tom Youngs will replace Bath’s injured hooker Rob Webber, and the retention of Mako Vunipola will depend on whether Lancaster sticks with four props or goes for five. In the second row, Joe Launchbury will come in with Wasps team-mate Tom Palmer the man most likely to make way.

Back row is, as ever, a fiercely competitive area, with perhaps only captain Chris Robshaw, Tom Wood and Ben Morgan guaranteed of their places.

If Tom Croft impresses tonight on his long-awaited return for Leicester, he and Tigers No 8 Thomas Waldrom should keep their places, leaving Phil Dowson, James Haskell, Tom Johnson and Calum Clark pushing for what could be the last remaining spot.